By the time Lin Hai arrived at Ring Star Sector Two, the sky had already dimmed into twilight, and the clouds above were darkening.
The setting sun had vanished behind distant mountains, casting a final blush across the city. As he came down the slope, Lin Hai saw villas stretching along both sides of the road, each one with immaculate lawns. Some had mistresses tending to exotic plants, others had private cars dropping off students returning from school. A few of them looked at the jogging Lin Hai with puzzled expressions.
Apparently, people around here didn't jog at this hour.
The scenic route continued along the road into the distance. Lin Hai estimated he was about two kilometers from the Lin Estate when suddenly—
A violent barking shattered the tranquility nearby.
Dogs were an ancient kind of pet—still existing today, but rare on many planets.
Due to their susceptibility to parasites and need for care, dogs had largely been replaced by synthetic pets, which were child-friendly, safe, and required no effort to train.
More importantly, owning a real dog was expensive. There were inspections, quarantines, and even luxury taxes. All of which meant few people could afford the upkeep of a genuine canine.
Yet from the tone of the barking, Lin Hai was certain—
That wasn't an artificial pet.
It was a real dog.
He turned down a side path, running toward the sound. As he got closer, he began to hear something else mixed into the barking—a human voice, coughing hoarsely.
His brows furrowed like comets streaking through the sky.
Dogs were mostly gentle, but some could be unstable.
If a real dog was attacking someone…
His fists clenched.
A few turns later, Lin Hai reached the scene.
An elderly man stood hunched under a large tree, one hand gripping the trunk for support, the other holding the leash of a massive yellow dog. He wore a short coat and was coughing violently, as though his lungs were about to fly out of his chest. His back curled like a shrimp from the force of it.
The yellow dog was clearly terrified—barking frantically, circling its master with panic and helplessness. The surrounding area was quiet, sparsely dotted with villas, their windows dim behind motion-sensor lights—clearly, no one was home.
The old man's asthma attack had pushed him to the brink. Only his willpower was keeping him upright. If he collapsed, there might be no one around to help him—except his dog, who could only bark in desperation.
When Lin Hai approached, the dog jumped forward, positioning itself between its master and the stranger—still doing its duty to protect.
The old man saw Lin Hai and seemed to understand he meant no harm, but the dog was too panicked to stand down.
It would let no one near, unless they stepped over its dead body.
The old man wanted to call the dog off, but his strength was spent. The coughs left him breathless and on the verge of passing out.
He knew full well: unless he gave the command, the dog would never let anyone close. And if he lost consciousness, it would likely take armed personnel from the Wildlife Control Bureau to subdue the animal.
His heart was anxious. Damn mutt, he cursed inwardly. Always obedient until now! Can't you see this young man is trying to help?
Then he caught himself: What am I thinking? It's just a dog. How could it possibly tell?
Even on the verge of collapse, the old man had enough presence of mind to mock himself. That alone said something about his strength of character.
But just as his body gave out and he began to sink toward the ground,
a hand suddenly reached under his arm—catching him before he fell.
It was the young man who'd been blocked earlier.
"Da Huang!" the old man tried to shout, using his last bit of strength to stop his dog from attacking.
But then he paused.
Somehow, the young man was already beside him, one arm supporting his body—
And his other hand…
Was gently stroking the dog's head.
The once-agitated dog now looked like it was in bliss, tail wagging, eyes filled with trust and hope.
Lin Hai's features were bright, his expression calm and trustworthy.
Perhaps it was this aura that made the dog finally lower its guard and accept him.
Lin Hai settled the old man by the tree, then pressed a thumb into the soft spot at the base of the elder's palm—his tiger's mouth—while his other hand gripped the point just below the nose, above the upper lip.
The old man, dazed by lack of oxygen, suddenly felt sharp jolts of pain at both points.
He didn't understand what this young man was doing—
But in the next instant, that pain surged through his body like a shockwave,
and his vision cleared.
The young man moved swiftly, pressing several acupoints with practiced ease. It looked like massage, but every strike brought some relief. The heaviness in the old man's chest—like a demon pressing down—began to loosen.
Lin Hai flipped him onto his side and used a special technique to tap along his spine. Each tap sent a puff of dust off the old man's back, but more importantly, restored his breathing.
Finally, the old man coughed up a mouthful of black phlegm—
And with it came a surge of clarity and relief, like a breath of fresh air after drowning.
The yellow dog jumped for joy.
The old man, still catching his breath, looked at Lin Hai—now drenched in sweat.
"I just helped ease the symptoms," Lin Hai said calmly. "But you still need medical treatment. Next time, you might not be so lucky…"
The old man, after a pause, looked up and muttered,
"If I stop breathing, I stop breathing. You think I'm scared of dying?
Treatment's my business. You're too nosy, kid."
He turned to scold his dog: "And you! What're you so happy for? Idiot mutt! I'm not dead yet!"
Lin Hai blinked, dumbfounded. He had imagined that elderly people were supposed to be kind, especially after being saved. He hadn't expected this temperamental, foul-mouthed grandpa.
Then it hit him.
Asthma might be serious on Haizhou Star, but on a planet like Riverbank with advanced medicine, it was quite manageable. The black phlegm was likely due to long-term stress and repressed emotion.
Clearly, this man had bottled-up issues—and a temperament to match.
Some people chose not to be cured—not because they couldn't, but because they wouldn't.
Maybe he'd been alone too long.
Perhaps out of guilt for snapping, the old man softened slightly. "I wasn't cursing you. Just the dog. You did well, kid. Running into something like this while out jogging… unlucky for you. If you're not too busy, walk with me for a bit."
Lin Hai couldn't help but laugh. But something about this eccentric old man commanded a strange kind of respect. And besides, the neighborhood was quiet—he didn't want to leave the old guy alone in case his symptoms returned.
So they walked.
An old man. A young man. And a dog.
Small silhouettes moving through a maze of glittering lights.
"Not many young people still go out running these days," the old man said as they strolled. "Where do you live?"
Lin Hai pointed toward a well-lit estate in the distance.
The old man's coat was a little worn, but the fabric was expensive.
And now that he had recovered, there was a certain elegance about him—sharp eyebrows, neatly brushed silver hair, the kind of man who'd have had no trouble charming young ladies back in the day.
The old man followed Lin Hai's finger, then narrowed his eyes.
"Oh… Lin Estate."
Then he smirked.
"So, you're that bastard son from the junk planet. Lin Wei's stray."
His tone had a mocking edge, but Lin Hai could tell—it wasn't aimed at him, but rather at Lin Wei.
This was a man from the inner circle. Gossip moved fast here. That he knew wasn't surprising.
Seeing Lin Hai's silent acknowledgment, the old man actually chuckled.
"Didn't expect that bastard Lin Wei to produce a kid like you.
The way you massaged me just now—you knew what you were doing. And my mutt—he let you touch him."
"I'm from the junk star. Medical care isn't exactly accessible there.
You survive by learning all kinds of tricks.
And as for the dog…
Wild animals on junk stars don't mind me much. Maybe I just give off a scent they like."
Lin Hai said it lightly, but the old man grew quiet.
Those words held too much weight for someone so young.
To have endured that kind of hardship…
"…I went through tough times too," the old man finally said.
Maybe he felt a kinship.
They kept chatting until they reached Lin Estate.
Lin Hai learned that the old man's surname was Jiang. He lived nearby.
There was no mention of family, suggesting he lived alone.
He spoke often of war, with a swagger that suggested he once thought himself invincible.
Not one person on this planet seemed worth his respect—except perhaps Lin Hai, whom he called "the kid who's not too bad."
It made Lin Hai laugh.
He had just saved the old man's life, and the guy still acted like he was doing him a favor.
As they reached the street of Lin Estate, the old man turned to leave.
Seeing his lonely figure, and the dog who didn't want to part, Lin Hai hesitated—
Then offered to walk him home.
The old man didn't refuse.
So they walked back, continuing their banter—though most of the talking came from Jiang, whose swagger and arrogance often left Lin Hai at a loss for words.
Eventually, they arrived at a hilltop manor. Lin Hai stopped, stunned.
"…This is your place?" he asked.
Jiang's estate wasn't just big—it was colossal. Even compared to the Lin Estate, it was on another level.
Lin Hai still didn't know this old man's identity.
But somehow, the mystery made him seem all the more impressive.
One man. One dog.
Living alone in such a massive estate—it was no wonder his temper was a little rotten.
As the gate opened and the dog bounded inside, the old man turned.
"Young people today are weak. Keep running like you do. It's rare."
With that, the eccentric old man disappeared into the manor.
Lin Hai finally turned back, heading toward the Lin Estate.